Automatic valve operating device



July 9, 1935. G. M. LARDNER AUTOMATIC VALVE OPERATING DEVICE Filed July19, 1954 Patented Jnly 9, 1935 f.

AUTOMATIC VALVE-OPERATING DEVICE i [George Malcolm Lardner, Winnipeg,lvfanitoba, A Canada ApplicationJuly 19, 1934, Serial No. 735,962`

t 6 Claims.

- My'invention relates to flushing apparatus,

" having particular reference to' a valve operating device forfeffectingaperiodic discharge of a liquid.

5L' The object of myinvention is to provide an improved .valve operatingdevice for a flushing 1 or similar apparatuseiective to provide aperiodic discharge of the iiushingiliquid. In par-` i ticular my` deviceprovides forV a positive and novel means for the'fabrupt actuation of l'saidabrupt seating and unseating of the ilushing passagevalve in avflushing' apparatus and includes A valve to...secure an instantaneousoperation of the valve under apredetermined rise and fall oi liquid. i.i

Other objects of myv invention will become apparent fromthe,accompanyingldescriptiontaken j infconjunction with the' drawingwherein like .fchar'acters of reference indicate likewparts .ing tankin'wliichmy` improved iiushingappathroughout the different views andwherein:

Fig. `1 is a.` vertical view of `a reservoir or flushratus is mounted,the latter `being illustrated 'partly broken awayyandshowing the valvein 25 open position. 1 n Fig.,2 is a vertical sectionalview, partly insection and partly broken away and showingthe valve in closed position.j f f Fig. 3 vis a topfplan A'view of the 'flushing mechanism.

Having reference tothe laccomp'anying/ `draw-Y `ing l indicates areservoir or flushing tank'having lthe'flushingpassage or dischargeoutlet pipe i 2. Theflushing'apparatus is 'designed for use in areservoirg'ofthe character wherein a periodicdischarge of liquid forflushing or like purposes-isi'requiredigrf; Injy association with the-`tank l a valve controlled inlet, of the usual type for such purposes,would be used, communicating with a source of liquid supply whereby acontinuous inflow of liquid would be provided.

' Threadably attached to the discharge pipe 2 is a chamber 3 having anintegrally formed valve body 4 with port 5 communicating therebetween,said body 4 having ports 6 for admission of liquid thereto. The valvebody d is surmounted by an integrally formed block 1 in which isthreadably inserted an upstanding tubular guide member 8.

For closure of the port 5 a valve 9 isprovided adapted to be seatedthereon, said valve having a lifting,y rod l slidable in a suitableopening `provided in the block 1.

Slidable on the guide member 8 is a vertically movable element -whichincludes a cylindrical vided with opposit'ely disposed laterally and up-I,wardlyf extending arms I3--l3, each having a projectingvportion i4 inangular vrelationslfiip Vtherewith. Saidy headblock l2 is provided withasuitable opening through which thelifting rod lil is movable; Thejunctions of each ofthe Vprojecting portions I4 with the main portions;of the arms 83-93 provide lhorizontal grooves, located as indicatedbythe reference'numerals Threadably mounted on the upper end ofthelifting rod Ill isa block [6 having horizontal grooves ll on oppositefaces, Said grooves being alignable in .parallel relationship to thegrooves- For effecting an abruptmovementof the lifting rod ill toinstantaneously open or close the port by the valve 9, yieldingmembers-igenerally indicated at I8 and IS, are provided normally`holding the block IS raised or lowered `with the grooves l5positionedabove or below `the `horizontal plane ofthe grooves Il. Each of saidmembers includes a. tubular section 20 having pins 2l and 22 slidable inthe ends thereof, said pins `being outwardly urged by aninterposedfcoiled spring 23.- The points of the pins 2i and 22 areformedA straight edged (as more' clearly apparentin Figure 3) and arerespectively engageable ino-the grooves lol and l5.`

The liftingrod l0 is freely movable within certain limits and the actionof the yieldingmembers `I8 and.l 'is serves 4toQmove the block .l51withits attached ,liftingrodabove orbelow an intermediate pointgof. balanceof; Said members. `When vthe block I6 is above such point of balance,(see Figure l) the valve 9 is elevated clearing the port 5, while-whensaid block i6 is below such point of balance the valve 9 is lowered toclose the port 5. (See Figure 2.)

For instituting action of the yielding members to effect the raising andlowering `of the lifting rod, float actuating mechanism is provided.Integrally formed on the block l vis a projection lug 24 with the endthereof reduced as indicated by 24' to form a bearing on which ismounted a rocking arm 25. A capscrew 25 threaded into the end of the lug24, serves to hold the rocking arm in place. In one end of said rockingarm is threadably inserted a float carrying rod 21 with a float 28 ofthe usual hollow construction secured thereto. The other end of therocking arm Cil is connected by a cross arm 29 and link 30 with abracket 3| integrally formed on the sleeve I I.

Pivotal movement of the rocking arm 25 as a result of the rise or fallof the float 28 when liquid is introduced or discharged from the chamberI produces, through the cross arm 29 and link 30, a movement of thesleeve II inversely to the movement of said float.

The upward travel of the sleeve I I is limited by a stud 32 threadablysecured in the guide member 8 and travelling in an elongated slot 33 inthe sleeve I I.

An overflow pipe 34 is provided attached communicating with thepipe-section 3.

In the operation of the device the mechanism is arranged with the valve9 seated to close the port 5 when the iioat 28 is depressed (see Figure2). A ow of liquid into the chamber I serves to elevate the float 28and, through operation of the rocking arm 25 to depress the sleeve II. A

i downward movement of the sleeve II carries the outer ends of theyielding Amembers I8 and I9 downward until said members pass beyondtheir horizontal point of balance. Such movement contracts the springs23 which operate to impart an upward thrust to the block I6 when thepoint of balance has been passed. This upward thrust elevates thelifting rod I0 abruptly to unseat the valve 9 and open the port 5,allowingY discharge of the liquid in the chamber I through the flushingvpassage 2.

A reversal of movement of the float 28 caused by the emptying of thetank I would produce an opposite movement of the mechanism and cause anabrupt depression of the valve 8 to close the port 5.

Considerable variation in the structure would be permissible withoutdeparture from the spirit and scope of'my invention asy dened in theappended claims.

`vertical movement of said element to impart an abrupt endwise thrust tosaid rod inversely to the movement lof'said element.

2. A flushing apparatus valve operating device embodying a yvalveAlifting rod, a block attached jto said'rod, a vertically'lmovableelement, said elementincluding oppositely disposed arms betweenwhichsaid 'rod is located, said arms and `-block havingv alignablegrooves, -and yielding members interposed between said arms and rod inengagement with said grooves, said members being effective on verticalmovement of said element to impart an abrupt endwise thrust to said rodinversely to the movement of said element.

3. A flushing apparatus valve operating device embodying a valve liftingrod, a vertically movable element, said element including oppositelydisposed arms between which said rod is located, and yielding membersinterposed between said arms and rod, said members being directednormally above or below an intermediate point of balance, and saidmembers comprising tubular sections, pins slidable in the ends of saidsections and engageable with said arms and rod, and coiled springs insaid tubular sections between said pins and 'tensionable upon movementof said members to a point of balance.

4. A flushing apparatus including a tank having a flushing passage, avalve for closing said passage, a lifting rod on said valve, avertically movable element, said element including oppositely disposedarms between which said rod is located, yielding members disposedbetween said arms and rod, said members being operable on verticalmovement of said element to impart an abrupt endwise thrust to said rodeifective to open or close said valve, and iioat actuated means forimparting vertical movement to said element.

5. A flushing apparatus including a tank having a flushing passage, avalve for closing said passage, a lifting rod on said valve verticallymovable, means limiting the upward movement of said rod, a verticallymovable element, yielding members engageable between said element androd, said members being operable on vertical movement of said element toimpart an abrupt endwise thrust to said rod inversely to the movement ofsaid element, and float actuated means for imparting vertical movementto said element.

6. A flushing apparatus including a tank having a flushing passage, avalve body having a port communicating with said passage, a valvecontrolling said port, a lifting rod on said valve, said rod beingvertically movable to seat and unseat said valve, a tubular member onthe valve body concentrically mounted relative to said lifting rod, asleeve slidable on said tubular member, said sleeve having oppositelydisposed upwardly extending arms, yielding members engageable betweensaid arms and lifting rod, said members being operable on verticalmovement of Said sleeve to impart an inverse endwise thrust to saidlifting rod, and float actuated means for imparting vertical movement tosaid sleeve.

GEORGE MALCOLM LARDNER.

